Colorado River Authority of Utah

The Colorado River Basin appears to be gearing up for a legal fight. And the federal government is weighing its options for making the states share the shrinking river.

Projects across Utah’s Colorado River Basin meant to protect water supplies and restore rivers are in a holding pattern — including a $200 million reservoir near Price, Utah.

“We're just trying to be proactive,” said one Carbon County farmer. “Hopefully, we can make some kind of difference in the big picture.”

Because of drought, mandatory water cuts are nothing new in Utah. But the potential of large-scale reductions across the Colorado River Basin would present a steep challenge.

The Southwest megadrought that began in 2000 could continue until 2050 or maybe even the end of the century. That would mean tough choices for Utah and the Colorado River Basin.

Back in February, Amy Haas, executive director of the Colorado River Authority of Utah, said it would be "folly" for the seven Colorado River states to take their negotiations to court.

The Colorado River Authority of Utah board approved the first round of applicants for the state’s pilot program. It includes more than a dozen projects along Colorado River tributaries in eastern and southeastern Utah.

Utah is launching a new multimillion-dollar program that pays farmers to leave their irrigation water in the Colorado River — and tracks where that saved water ends up.

Even after a wet winter, the runoff that’s forecast to flow downstream in Utah’s Colorado River Basin looks underwhelming compared to snowpack levels.

A company spun out of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory began survey flights over the Uinta Mountains this year. Water managers are already using the data to manage Colorado River water wisely.

Founded in 1948 as a Jewish state, Israel had to find its own water. The country treats water as public property controlled by the state — there are no private water rights.